as in detectives
a person not on the police force who investigates criminal or illicit activity or searches for missing persons
the popular TV sleuth lives a much more action-packed life than do his real-world counterparts
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Recent Examples of sleuths
How online sleuths impact reality TV The open secret of reality TV is that the producers control the narrative.
—
Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 1 June 2026
Last year, there were a few, most notably when online sleuths uncovered past racist clips and posts from two of the Islanders (they were both ultimately kicked off the show mid-season following fan backlash).
—Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 1 June 2026
Unsurprisingly, online sleuths had some thoughts.
—José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 1 June 2026
That story appears in fragments across the album; sleuths will have a field day scouring the record for its copious Easter eggs.
—Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 29 May 2026
Independent journalists, online sleuths and criminal case followers traveled from across the country to track developments on the missing child’s case.
—Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026
Adapted from Richard Osman's best-selling novel of the same name, this lighthearted crime caper centers on four amateur sleuths living in a retirement community who look into a suspicious murder.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 22 May 2026
Pilots’ voices from the last seconds of a fatal cargo plane crash have been re-created by Internet sleuths using software and AI tools.
—ArsTechnica, 22 May 2026
Baldoni’s extensive filing also made its way online, with court documents available for internet sleuths to pick through and draw their own conclusions.
—Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 9 May 2026
Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 1 June 2026
Last year, there were a few, most notably when online sleuths uncovered past racist clips and posts from two of the Islanders (they were both ultimately kicked off the show mid-season following fan backlash).
—Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 1 June 2026
Unsurprisingly, online sleuths had some thoughts.
—José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 1 June 2026
That story appears in fragments across the album; sleuths will have a field day scouring the record for its copious Easter eggs.
—Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 29 May 2026
Independent journalists, online sleuths and criminal case followers traveled from across the country to track developments on the missing child’s case.
—Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026
Adapted from Richard Osman's best-selling novel of the same name, this lighthearted crime caper centers on four amateur sleuths living in a retirement community who look into a suspicious murder.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 22 May 2026
Pilots’ voices from the last seconds of a fatal cargo plane crash have been re-created by Internet sleuths using software and AI tools.
—ArsTechnica, 22 May 2026
Baldoni’s extensive filing also made its way online, with court documents available for internet sleuths to pick through and draw their own conclusions.
—Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 9 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sleuths
Noun
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Authorities said detectives are still working to identify four teenage boys using surveillance video.—
Lauren Linder,
CBS News,
3 June 2026
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All four were found with stab wounds, detectives say.—
Milena Malaver,
Miami Herald,
3 June 2026
Noun
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After returning to the United States, investigators say O’Rourke continued the alleged scam by encouraging friends and family members to organize additional fundraising events on her behalf.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
31 May 2026
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His family went without answers for five decades — until genealogy advancements allowed investigators to crack the cold case by linking human remains found at a waste transfer station in Pima County to Sipfle's family, per KVOA and KOLD.—
Bailey Richards,
PEOPLE,
31 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sleuths.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sleuths. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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